Tourists travelling to Gozo will face significantly higher ferry fares from 2027, with the adult Gozo Channel fare increasing from €4.65 to €11.Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced the increase during today’s Budget 2027 speech, with the new adult fare more than doubling under the revised pricing structure.The changes will also affect children, whose fares will increase from €1.15 to €7. Meanwhile, the fare for cars driven by tourists will rise from €15.70 to €22, including the driver. An additional adult passenger will pay €11, meaning a car carrying two adults will cost €33 in total. Adding one fare-paying child brings the total to €40. For a family of two adults and two fare-paying children travelling in one car, the total will rise from €22.65 to €47, based on the rates published in the Budget speech.Tourists travelling between Valletta and Mġarr using the fast ferry service will also face an additional €3 charge per crossing.However, ferry fares for residents will remain unchanged, with the increases specifically targeting tourists visiting the island.Caruana said the government currently allocates more than €18 million to maintain existing sea-transport services and argued that the prices paid by tourists were too low.The ferry fare revisions are expected to generate around €13 million in additional revenue, offsetting a reduction in subsidies while supporting investment in infrastructure and operations.The measures form part of the government’s wider efforts to increase tourism revenue and address the pressure visitors place on Malta and Gozo’s infrastructure.Other tourism-related measures announced in the Budget include a €5 charge for tourists visiting Comino and higher eco-contributions for accommodation.The new fares represent one of several changes introduced in Budget 2027 aimed at increasing the financial contribution made by tourists visiting the Maltese Islands.What do you think of the new ferry fares for tourists travelling to Gozo?•